New Victorian Motorsport circuit to be built in Avalon

The Victorian government has announced it will invest $1.6 million into a new motorsport circuit to be built in Avalon on the outskirts of Melbourne. The investment will help with the design and planning of Victoria’s Home of Motorsport, which will see the 150ha plot at Avalon earmarked for the new home of an elite multipurpose motorsport precinct.

The Avalon Airport Precinct was nominated as the preferred location by Motorsport Australia.

The circuit will eventually act as a replacement for Sandown which is expected to be swallowed by urban sprawl sooner rather than later.

Avalon, which is already home to a speedway, isn't as close to Melbourne as Sandown, with the town sitting around 50 kilometres southwest of the capital. However it is still significantly closer than Victoria's other two circuits, Philip Island and Winton. Avalon is also on the doorstep of Geelong, the second-largest city in the state.

Motorsport Australia Chief Executive Eugene Arocca shared “delivering a Home of Motorsport in Victoria would not only fulfill one of Motorsport Australia's key infrastructure goals, but it also enables the sport to grow its participation and competition with a reliable state venue.”

A new Home of Motorsport is listed as a priority in the recently announced 2022-32 Victorian Motorsport Infrastructure and Participation Strategy, which will help to sustain the high number of motorsport events held in Victoria from grassroots to elite level.

Victoria accounted for more than 22% of all four-wheeled motorsport participation across Australia in 2019.

Motorsport in Victoria supports more than 4,300 jobs and the number of events each year can top 1,000, including international drawcards such as the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Potential proponents will be asked to demonstrate how the Home of Motorsport could deliver key aims including growing participation, boosting jobs, providing educational links and enhancing Victoria’s renowned major events standing.

The design and planning phase will consider the best track configuration which could cater for uses ranging from test days and grassroots competition to elite events.

Motorsport Australia Chief Executive Eugene Arocca shared “delivering a Home of Motorsport in Victoria would not only fulfill one of Motorsport Australia's key infrastructure goals, but it also enables the sport to grow its participation and competition with a reliable state venue.”

While details of the circuit are still thin on the ground, Motorsport Australia has indicated that it will be used for both two and four-wheeled racing and host everything from grassroots to international level events.

Melbourne Avalon Airport Chief Executive Tony Brun also welcomed the news adding “we have been selected as the preferred site for the proposed Home of Motorsport in Victoria, a decision based on Motorsport Australia’s existing participation base, proximity to transport and logistics infrastructure, and the site’s potential for significant development.

“The attraction of the precinct for major public events and travel shows the further need for the establishment of a train station connecting the site to Melbourne and greater Victoria. We look forward to assisting the teams from Motorsport Australia and the Victorian state government as the site planning stage of the proposed project gets underway.”

Image. Credit: Motorsport Australia